Top Ten Greatest Male Tenors

The Top Ten

1Luciano PavarottiLuciano Pavarotti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce was an Italian operatic tenor who also crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most commercially successful tenors of all time.

Listen to his debut in 1961 singing "Che Gelida Manina" from "La Boheme". At 26, his performance left the audience gasping. The true maestro!

One of the best of the entire 20th century. The power and range of his voice is just superb. No one of his day could compare to him. His high C's were untouchable.

Best voice I've ever heard. Without the sound quality to appreciate the voices of past greats, none come close to the voice that resonated from the pav. Domingo hasn't a patch on him and carreras isn't even worth mentioning. When I was a boy my dad used to say that pav was in his own class. Now I'm old enough to appreciate his voice, I can only wholeheartedly agree

Luciano Pavarotti goes down in history as being the greatest male tenor ever bar none!

2Jonathan AntoineJonathan Antoine is a classically trained English tenor. He rose to fame after appearing on the sixth series of Britain's Got Talent in 2012 as one half of the classical duo Jonathan and Charlotte.

Jonathan Antoine will go down in history, no doubt. His ability to touch people's souls already at such a young age is incredible. Jonathan sings and becomes the music. He is unaware of many of his reactions while singing because he goes to a different place. He is not singing for fame, or money, or any other ego boosting reasons. He loves to sing. Period. Who better to sing the best music ever written? I don't think there are words to describe how magnificent he will be in a few more years as he matures and trains more.

Last year I was looking for inspirational videos to share with my students. I found the BGT auditions. As with the music that Jonathan and Charlotte create, the emotion, the story, is truly amazing. The fact that they are teenagers blew my mind. I had to share not only the YouTube clips but anything I could find. My students and I even bought their CD for the classroom.

The pure sound, the gift Jonathon has is not just his voice, it is also the emotion, the emote, he sends with ever note. The message of love, friendship, humility, sorrow, loyalty, all at 18 will have tears streaming down your face.

He shares himself, not just his performance but everything adding an instant connection. I am eagerly waiting for the 2nd CD and hope to see him perform in person someday. I am tearing up just writing this post, picturing Johnathon on stage lost in his music, watching as he feels the music, opens his body, you can see it, you can feel that the sounds are coming and they do, ...more

Jonathan is unique in every way. His sound is rich and powerful and full of emotion! People are drawn to him not only because of his amazing voice but also because he is an amazing and courageous person. Although he possesses this phenominal talent he is humble, gentle and compassionate. He brings all of these things into his performances which makes the listener feel connected to him in a way that is deeper and more intimate. Jon shares himself in his song and that sets him apart from the other performers of his time and even though he is young and just beginning to make an impact, his presence will grow and be felt for years to come

No tenor has ever managed to bring tears to my eyes when I hear his voice except Jonathan Antoine. He has the most beautiful voice I have ever heard. - ElisabethausWien

I never leave a Phelps concert without having received a blessing. His gift of voice is so wonderful and pure, as he lifts his voice toward heaven what a beautiful and sweet sound. His range is amazing, his ability to reach those high notes, and hold them, is so phenomenal. But more than anything, I appreciate the fact that he uses his gift to reach people all over the world for Christ. He knows from where his gift comes, and acknowledges that. He is a wonderful guy, whose presence is just a joy. He is who he says he is, and wonderful to see and be around. I wouldn't miss a concert at all if I could get there. He is great, no matter, but even better when you see him perform live. Very gifted man. I never tire of hearing that beautiful voice.

Phelps' voice is so strong and pure, he could sing the alphabet and make you cry! His voice gets nothing but clearer and richer in the higher he sings. He can hop on a high note that most men would be proud to hit, then do all kinds of vocal acrobatics with it way up in those high registers. Just listening to that is entertainment in itself, but he is so genuine and personable from the stage that his live shows should not be missed. Being better in person than in the studio is what should make him number 1 on this list.

When I found David Phelps, I found my dream artist. His voice goes to my heart and soul. At times, I realize I haven't been breathing while listening for his final note. No other voice does that to me. He writes beautiful lyrics which encompass many emotions that people can relate to. He also makes time for his fans and gives his attention fully to what you want to say. What a powerful artist he is, which is only made better by him using his gift to express his faith and inspire others. There is no chance of losing interest when David opens his mouth to sing, although you will feel the best kind of chills!

Unbelievable dramatic range. The most versatile, by far, on this list. With a drop dead gorgeous velvety tone and great intensity. His forays into popular music have also been successful. He's been singing for almost 50 years!

I love PD. His velvety voice, his artistry, his good taste, his manliness and tenderdess which is a rare combination not found in any other tenor... To me, he is the best!

I voted him because undoubtedly he has ( or used to have) a very beautiful voice and sang in many genres succesfully. There are better tenors on cds, but on stage there isn't. He has always cared his voice unlike other tenors who sang well for 10 years, but today their voice is over ( Alvarez, Cura etc)

Great voice. I ever hear his voice in the three tenors christmas album. Bought that in last year in December. - Iamnotlazy

As the world knows and make up for sale is the god of love my grandmother is hard 78 and we used to play them continuously on Sunday mornings I want to tell you we love him so much like her mother got to see him my father also got to see your family name is tahini which means little houses and I all I can say is that I hope to someday I will maybe go to heaven because I know he forgot so I'm online when you talk about you know I'm good for it so it's the king not Elvis and I hope someday that I can listen to am in heaven I am retired from the Navy for 20 years and I am very very happy to serve my country but the world

No doubt the greatest tenor of all times. When I listen to Pavarotti or Di Stefano and then I turn to Caruso is like powerful fresh air from the Mediterranean see...

Bjorling, a darn good tenor, but not even in the same league as Caruso! Other top tenors not mentioned are: J. McCormack, B. Gigli, M. Del Monaco, G. Di Stefano, F, Corelli, PS Groban, Safina, and Bocelli are not real Tenors, they are good male voices!

6Andrea BocelliAndrea Bocelli, OMRI, OMDSM is an Italian classical crossover tenor, recording artist, and singer-songwriter. Born with poor eyesight, he became permanently blind at the age of 12 following a football accident.

What the hell? How can't he be #1? He has a great voice, the best I've ever heard in my life, every time I listen to his songs I cry.

Are you kidding? This guy is an Italian pop lounge singer that hit it big because he is decent at singing Italian pop lounge songs and is blind. His vibrator is awful, his voice is weak. Any note above A he goes into falsetto, and without amplification and a microphone he can't get over the orchestra. He is popular because he is good at Lounge singing and making 30-50 yo women cry, because he sings of lost love. He has NO voice for Opera! He belongs next to a piano in a bar.

There are many technically superior tenors but Andrea's voice is more pleasing to the ear in most songs, even arias. I can listen to him for hours without ear fatigue.

Totally love andrea's honeyed tones, vesitility in so many genres, not so crazy about his singing in english, endearing but the accent is terrible! Love his opera, arias, sacred music, also great pop/popera voice. Adore any duets he does with the ladies, he, s such a romantic old guy, like his male duets too, never feels the need to show off or compete. He's also very sexy, yummy!

He sings in many languages including mine which is French I just heard him sing on Stevie wonders tribute and sang it beautifully in English, remembers every words! He is so versatile, can sing opera and ballads beautifully. I have seen him live, and my only comment is that I wish he would wear dark glasses.

I love listening to him sing everything from arias to contemporary. I don't understand why the one calls him a lounge singer, jealous perhaps because of the millions of records Andrea has sold and continues to sell. He is an opera singer and he doesn't use a microphone when singing opera and is well heard in the back. He controls his voice for the application of the music he sings. When using a microphone he sings as if he is whispering a lullaby in the ear of a child. His sings differently when performing opera. Extremely intelligent and kind. He should be in the top 3

If you're judging only on freedom from technical errors, the magic Mario doesn't rank near the top. But if you're judging by rich, highly-versatile beautiful vocal tonality, especially in the mid-tenor range where most tenor singing occurs, Mario's voice is, among those we have well recorded (doesn't include Caruso), the standard by which all others must be judged. For instance Pavarotti's highs were wonderful but it midrange was unexceptional, not particularly resonant and weak in harmonics. Lanza's midrange was incredibly great yet his highs sounded clear while retaining nicely balanced harmonics where most tenors loose them and sound strident by comparison. On balance, if judging by VOICE alone, Mario Lanza is still the best I've ever heard during the last 50 years of being a tenor.

A very short lived career that still resulted in a considerable amount of influence to some more recent operatic singers (i.E. pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo). He had a demanding presence, with emotion and power driven renditions of arias that stand their own with some of the greats like: Caruso, Gigli, Bjorling, Del Monaco, etc.

I think each generation has its heroes in music. Those who grew up in the fifties knew the voice of Mario Lanza and those of the next generation that heard his voice on Reader's digest albums that are parents played knew it as well. I was one of these and in my humble opinion I have never heard a voice so golden as Mario Lanza. As Pavarotti said of him "fantastic, his voice was fantastic." I agree!

Absolutely the greatest tenor I have ever heard!. Always underappreciatedbecause 1) being American born-a movie star, 2) his physique did notfit the stereotypical profile of a "great tenor", and 3) he sang a lot in English,not Italian. I heard them all, Pavarotti, Caruso, et al and for my ears Mariowas/is the greatest tenor of all time.

Bocelli, Domingo, et al not even comparable to Mario Lanza. My guess ismost of the people "ranking" these tenors have not approached thehundreds of hours I have spent really listening to tenors for the last 65years. Please listen, just l I s t e n......

Slim and very good looking, which was highly unusual for tenors in his era, Jose Carreras epitomised the romantic hero. His deeply moving, sincere singing always touches you. Once someone had described him as having a 'voice of extraordinary beauty'. I could not agree more with this. What he had sang from his soul remains at an unreachable level of appeal to opera lovers.

Most of Carreras opera performances set a standard of pure perfection, with his expressive phrasing, laser-precise timing and appealing voice. And, you cannot help but compare every other performance you come across to his one, and measure all the rest by how close they come to his interpretation of ultimate beauty.

His incomparable velvet voice. Even his late recordings sound in a very elegant, deep and sincere way. I also like his passion in each song, that sounds like it is done the last time forever. These things are much more important than only high notes, that most critics like ro mentione while talk about Carreras.

Alfie has great warm notes in the middle and lower register with a lyric, flexible upper register. His versatility in singing all genres of music from opera (in which he trained at the Royal College of Music, National Opera Studio, and the Royal Opera House) to singing Elvis at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee shows the variety of his repertoire and his belief that there are only two kinds of music, good and bad, and he wants to sing the good stuff. He continues to defy expectations and reach more audiences with his remarkable voice. His superlative starring role as Jean Valjean in the 25th anniversary concert of Les Miserables helped redefine expectations. This past year, he was invited to sing "Bring Him Home" with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and at the Washington D.C. memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the US Capitol. Finally, listen to his "Alfie Warbles a Bit" YouTube version of "Nessun Dorma" and you will hear a tenor of the highest quality.

I love Alfie Boe's voice and he is such a skilled performer. He engages and holds his audience whatever he sings. Recently made a Fellow of the Royal College of Music he dedicated nearly 20 years to training that voice and working at perfecting his natural and God given talent. He has appeared on the Opera stage worldwide and received much deserved glowing reviews. But as important as those accolades are - when he sings he stirs the heart. And that is the sign of a truly great tenor.

The clarity of Boe's voice whether in higher or lower register is outstanding - his voice also has a flexibility which enables Alfie to use in all the many genres of music in which he is interested. His voice has now developed a richness and warmth which has invested his fine lyric tenor with even more intensity, so important when singing classical music or indeed any other style. His lead performances in La Boheme, Pearlfishers and other operatic roles have won him plaudits although it is probably his performance in that most operatic of musical theatre pieces Les Mis for which he is best known, having won a 4 minutes standing ovation when he first performed in it.

The Newcomers

?Dimash KudaibergenDinmukhamed Kanatuly Kudaibergen (Commonly known as Dimash Kudaibergen born May 24th, 1994) is a Kazakh singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Dimash is best known as a contestant of a talent show "Singer 2017" in China where he was declared a runner-up. He is also known for possessing a wide ...read more.

The Contenders

Such power he has in his voice for being so young! Most young tenors do not have his ability until much older. He has it now and is only going to improve with time like the finest world class wine.

Piero is AWESOME! What a gorgeous voice, so developed for someone his age! He can sing opera or he can sing popular songs...so versatile! He could walk right into an opera and begin singing and fit right in with no problem!

In the past 10 months his voice seems unleashed. His singing is effortless. At 20 his work is beginning.

Ignazio is 19 years old, and has nothing but a great future ahead of him. He's been singing professionally since he was 14 years old. His voice sounds crystal clear, like a body of water that you can see the bottom of even though it is miles away.

Ignazio has the most glorious lyric tenor voice! He is one-third of the Il Volo, a group which, once you hear them, you will not be able to enjoy any other nearly as much. Ignazio Boschetto is a name we will hear for many, many years to come.

Ignazio Boschetto has a voice like the clear tones of a French horn. If you hear him sing without seeing him you will expect to see a man of 45 not a teenager of 19. His career is in it's infancy and there is no limit to what he will achieve. He is part of the classical pop trio, IL VOLO, from Italy. His voice is magical.

Ignazio has an exquisite voice that can soar over an orchestra or be like a soft caress to the ear and heart. He has an amazing range in at least three octaves and beautiful extension. Ignazio is also a composer and arranger. Such achievement for a 21 year old is mind boggling. And the best is yet to come!

Although Josh Groban has considered himself from his early training a Baritone, he has proven unequivocally to own both the exacting flexibility and control to easily and naturally perform any and all tenor works. Indeed, the charismatic draw of his romantic modern stylings grow with every performance and recording. He cannot, will not be left out, indeed it is the future of great voice, meeting pop, rock, latin, and so may other rhythms of the world. His musical courage grows, as does the recognition of a gift we see perhaps once in every fifty years.

Josh Groban even though he came out of the dark and never never heard about the first time you said on that one movie with that wonderful song I have never heard such a clear and wonderful controlling multi range boys and my life I love the way he sings I love the way he acts I love the way he dresses and I love specially when he performs he is an incredible human being and I'm sure he will have a career and many many years to the day he died I wish I could meet him in person I think he is so awesome just let me know if this message gets to him just about entertaining every time Commander Navy pilot Top Gun wants to let him know we fought for you we love you and will always be there to listen to you God bless you and may God protect you from all the evil in the world

I think that if opera has any chance of continuing in the generations to come it will depend on singers like Josh Groban. He brings a fresh perspective on what some people might say is a dying musical art form. He could sing a shopping list in Italian and still take your breath away!

Love love love this man, such a beautiful voice, ranging from Opera, musical opera and his own tours, this man is outstanding

To be honest, Pavarotti has no emotional effect on me. Pavarotti has a lot of power but lacks in dynamics and sensibility, rather boring really. Jussi Björling on the other hand gives me the shivers every time.

His voice make tears flow, so beautiful!

Undoubtedly one of the best lyric tenors of the 20th century. There has been enourmous talent around in regards to tenor voices, and the lack of trustworthy records of many of them as well as the different types of voices make it very difficult to make comparisons. I would never think about comparing a lyric tenor such as Jussi or Pavarotti with Alfredo Krauss, for example.That is why when I try to write down my opinion, I am only considering lyric tenors. In spite all of those obstacles to make a fair comparison (which ultimately go against Jussi since his recordings are very old), I believe Björling is one step beyond the rest of the lyric tenors of this century for one or another reason. Arguably, there could be tenors with more power, or a broader range of tones, but I cannot find anyone with such combination of qualities as his. He had amazing power with a very broad range of tones, techique close to perfection and an extraordinarily well rounded voice, always, always under ...more

His technique was brilliant. His phrasing was so musical. His tone quality was like shining silver and consistent from his lowest to his highest notes. I could listen to him for hours and never tire.

Hearing live most of the greatest tenors in the last fifty years, Franco Corelli at his best, was in a class of his own. There are great tenor voices and then there was Corelli's. Do yourself a favor and listen to some of Corelli's great recordings, and even better, his live performances. If you're unfamiliar with his voice you will understand what I mean.

Unfortunately for many, the voice of Corelli is unknown! Music is such a subjective choice as to what one likes to hear in a voice. Having listened to opera for nearly 60 years, I can tell you that certain tenors lend themselves best to certain operas. If you truly want to hear the beautiful power of Corelli's voice, then listen to his role in "Andrea Chenier". His mastery of this opera has never been matched!

By any measure this list is hackneyed and bizarre. NO ONE matched Corelli's vocal athleticism, his fire in the blood intensity and fearless attack with high risk to achieve with consummate technique what is aberrant, electrifying and powerhouse glorious in the moment. That is where art needs to be.

Definitely the best tenor on the list! His beautiful recordings of the Mozartian tenor arias have no equal! And, unlike the Italians, he manages to go high without sounding like his balls were cut off; a true male voice. Another tenor not mentioned, and worth mentioning, is Frank Kelley, superb with both Bach and Mozart!

Regarding lyric tenors one cannot but admire Wunderlichs artistry, his expression and also technical excellence. To make a list of the "best tenors" is quite ambivalent as there are different "prerequisites" for different composers. Wunderlich and Mozart fit perfectly, whether Wunderlich and Wagner would have matched no one can say...

Finest tenor sound by far - ever. Listening to his old recordings is an aural delight!

Sean Panikkar has the voice of an angel, which is only fitting because he IS an angel on earth. In his voice you hear the voice of God, in his eyes you see the light. His voice is one for all tenors to aspire to, and his character one that all should aspire to.

He is not only an incredibly talented young man but he exhibits such humility, thoughtfulness, and gentlemanly characteristics in all that he does. An outstanding young man who just happens to be one of the very best tenors to enrich our lives.

Look into Sean's eyes when he is singing and you'll see how much it means to him. He exudes joy from his music, not only to himself but to everyone who listens to it. I get chills when I listen to him-especially when he sings classical music. He has a gorgeous voice like no other.

I knew he was going to be a star from the moment he was pulled on stage by Josh Groban, his amazing vocals were even noted in the New York Times review of this concert. He is an incredibly versatile performer and can go from singing opera to classical crossover and then rock/pop with his brother Zach in their group Brothers Page. I've seen him perform with Jackie Evancho and their rendention of the prayer is my all time favorite duet! I'm thrilled he has joined forces with Sean Pannikar and Fernando Varela as Forte is now my favorite tenor group, their voices blend into the most amazing harmonies! Josh Page is incredibly gifted and talented and at only 23. I'm looking forward to watching his talent develop and his career soar!

When Josh Groban called him up on stage, people were amazed that he sounded just like him! He founded the crossover group Forte that was a finalist on America's Got Talent. Now, Forte has released their first CD and performed at Carnegie Hall. A very talented young man who is on his way up!

Josh's voice has just become better and better as time has passed! I have watched him on YouTube and his beautiful voice has made me cry. He sings with such passion and emotion that you can feel it every time you hear him!

Gifted with a wonderful powerful voice and is at ease on stage alone or with others and loves to involve the audience through a great good sense of humor.

21Elvis PresleyElvis Presley was a American musician and actor. Known as "The King" He was mostly known for his number 1 singles including "Heartbreak Hotel" "Hound Dog" "Jailhouse Rock" "Love me Tender" Elvis debuted in the movie "Love me Tender" and focused less on his music and continued that way. ...read more.

While Elvis was primarily perceived as a baritone and most of the tessitura of his songs was on the staff he was, in my opinion, a tenor. Technically, he never properly worked to smooth his passagio and bring more weight up to the top of his voice. However, one has only to look and listen to much of what Elvis sang, and recorded - especially from about 1974 onward - to realize that, had he gone in an entirely different direction musically, he could very well have sung opera. Although in bad physical shape toward the end of his life, the in concert recordings from his last tour reveal, rather hauntingly, what might have been. Listen especially to the way he sang the Timi Yuro classic "Hurt." Vocally, he was incredibly exciting. - tonytenor

Great voice, but Elvis Presley is a baritone, not a tenor.

The greatest "NON-classically trained" voice of all time.

He was a great Mario Lanza fan since his late teens.

22Fernando Varela

Awesome tenor and member of group Forte who came in 4th on America's Got Talent. He exhibits the highest of standards in all aspects of his life!

Great range - strong in the low notes and beautiful in the highest ones. But in addition to his technical skills, especially loved is his unique style. Into every performance, every song, he puts his heart and soul. He's a Latino, with that open, unabashed emotional expression - beautiful singing from a true romantic.

Beautiful, expressive, uplifting tenor who you want to listen to non-stop. As one of the crossover group FORTE, he is part of the magic when their voices come together.

Fernando deserves to be, and someday will be, much higher on this list. His voice is technically superb, but also has a warmth and depth unmatched by any other.

The first time I played his CD, The Voice, in the parking lot of a new Border's Store, I just sat there and cried! The first violin notes of Nella Fanticia gripped me and then Russell, s voice. Yes, others are excellent tenors, but Russell got into my emotions and heart. His voice really ministered to me. He will always be my favorite tenor. And his story makes it even more fabulous. There is hope for anyone with talent like that. It is just too bad he was so ill for so long. He is still so very popular in the UK... Always sold-out concerts. A long way to travel for concerts from the USA, but well worth it.

Since being "discovered" in 1999, this ex-factory worker has performed for Royalty, the late Pope John Paul, and the President of the United States. This year Russell has performed at three Gala concerts at Buckingham Palace in celebration of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee. He has represented the UK at a Ground Zero memorial concert in New York and sung on the lawns of the White House. He is loved in many countries including Japan and Australia, and is a great ambassador for our country. Despite all his success in his career, he remains very modest and friendly, truly a man of the people. His concerts are truly captivating - to hear that voice live is an unforgettable experience!

Russell is an INSPIRATION to us all and his Voice is now Better Than EVER.. He most definitely should be on the list.. At the RAH in 2012 he did two Concerts.. One in the afternoon, for fans who could not be there in the evening.. Both were SOLD OUT... On Stage he gives his all.. And is sometimes funny with it, keeping us captivated, through out.. If you read his Book.. Finding My Voice.. You will know what he has been through and come out " TOPS ".. He puts so much Passion into his Voice, whatever he sings... RUSSELL IS ONE IN A MILLION..

He does not sing you a song. He does not tell you a story. He pulls you in, pulls you under, and when he finally lets you go, you find yourself dripping with emotions you might otherwise never have felt.

The easy, natural style, the superb quality of his tone, his remarkable versatility and emotional range make him, for me, the best tenor in the world. I could listen to him all day.

This guy is the best in the World today. Besides having a great voice he has the matching personality. Can only explain his position at number 26 as him not being heard as frequently as some of the so-called popular tenors.

26Adam LambertAdam Mitchel Lambert is an American singer, songwriter and stage actor. Since 2009, he has sold over 2.5 million albums and 5 million singles worldwide.V 1 Comment

27Freddie MercuryFreddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara, 5th September 1946 - 24th November 1991) was a Zanzibari-born British singer of Indian descent, songwriter and record producer, known as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the British rock band Queen. He also became known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-octave ...read more.

Freddie is arguably the greatest singer of all time regardless of classification

Should be higher.He was a baritone, but sang in tenor! - bzsuzsi0128

28David Miller

David has achieved success in his chosen field because of his love of singing and the desire to succeed. As a member of Il Divo, he is spotlighted in "Bring Him Home" and it is spellbindingly beautiful!

David performs from his heart. He feels every vibration --his soul is always communicating with him which resonates with the people who recognize his passion. His vocal energy is healing and his smile lights up a room. He walks the Planet with love...

David is the tenor who sings in my favorite group 'Il Divo'. His voice is so incredible. He can sing whatever he wants, it is always beautiful!

This Greek Tenor is one of the best cross-over artists today. The voice has a haunting power, which neither Josh Groban or Andrea Bocelli can match. And he sings with a great heart! If there is to be any future for classical music, to survive and fill in the seats at the concert halls, it is in the hands of artists like Mario Frangoulis. He sings in greek, Italian, English, French and Spanish and does it effortlessly.

My absolute FAVORITE tenor! Great talent and amazing voice..

B.

No other voice touches my soul and heart like his. He sings with such feeling, such passion - his voice expresses so beautifully what is in his soul and heart.

30Colm Wilkinson

Excellent range and breath control, powerful chest voice and brilliant vibrato and falsetto. Sings with more emotion than any other singer. Still the best around at 70 years old. A joy to listen to and an inspiration to all other singers. I had the pleasure of seeing him last year at Cardiff, not long after seeing Alfie Boe and Ramin Karimloo in seperate performances and although all 3 are brilliant, for me Colm is still the best.

Colm Wilkinson is good because he sings with emotion, even when he songs softly. He doesn't have to sing at the top of his lungs to give you goosebumps. His perfect vibrato and falsetto makes him, in my opinion, the best tenor.

The best at acting while singing, and the Irish accent just adds to the effect

Gianluca has an amazing and beautiful voice, so deep and strong, so it's impossible to believe that it's the sound of eighteen year old guy. He is especially good with songs in Spanish and his native language, so many shades in his voice. And the songs of Sinatra seemed to be created for him. He's very gifted young man.

Gianluca Ginoble has such a smooth voice. Not only can he sing in his Italian language but also inSpanish and English. Of the three, his command of theEnglish is unbelievable. How in the world does an 18 year old sing like this--blows my mind. Gianluca will go far in the USA. He loves the old American singers such asSinatra. His appreciation for all music is amazing. He is such a class act. I would never put Ignazio and Piero (II Volo) ahead of Gianluca--NEVER!

Gianluca is 18 years old only and a baritone voice that lifts me up again and again. Winner of a singing competition in Italy with 14 years. Now on worldwide concert tour with Piero Barone and Ignazio Boschetto as IL VOLO = The Flight. And they are flying!

Albeit the fact that he is a lyric baritone and should not be in this list along with Carlos Marin of il Divo, Gianluca is one of the best operatic singers we have in this generation.

33Roy OrbisonRoy Kelton Orbison, professionally known as Roy Orbison, nicknamed Big O, was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and musician, mostly known for his complex voice and for hits such as, "Oh, Pretty Woman".

34Beniamino Gigli

Gigli had the most beautiful voice and was the best Lyric Tenor

The voice of an Angel! For me personally this tenor is way out in front. Breath control, diction interpretation all amazing and that velvet, caressing sound is unequalled.

I have never heard a tenor of such passion, power, timber, sincerity, technique, and evenness of tone than Mario Del Monaco. Yes, there are many other tenors, but Del Monaco has it all. You name it and Del Monaco has it in full measure. The all around tenor of any century. Unfortunately, the critics didn't give him the deserved reviews he deserved. Del Monaco, the creates tenor ever! S.T.

Mario del Monaco, if you know anything about the operatic voice, need I say more?

The best tenor ever.

Del Monaco was a vocal dichotomy. His voice was metallic, huge and had an immense amount of squillo but because he pushed the chest voice up, and used the potentially very dangerous lowered larynx technique, he often went flat on top. He never truly had a high C and his high B - just listen to his recordings of "Nessun dorma" - was always short and belabored. An exciting voice to be sure, especially in the passagio, but all too often diminished by vocal histrionics. Ironically, my favorite recording of his is not from opera but a popular song which, in my opinion, he still owns to this day - "Un amore cosi grande." - tonytenor

Richard Tucker could fill a huge music venue like The LA Dorothy Chandler Pavillian and, even from the topmost balcony, it was like he was 10 feet away! His timbre was beautiful to behold... Smooth and powerful! He's one of the best!

Incredible passion in his voice. I cry when I hear him.

There is no second

I heard him sing Faust in New Orleans many,many years ago. I went backstage afterwards and got his autograph. He held my hand and smiled. I was eighteen at the time and have never forgotten. Ezio Pinza and his daughter Claudia also sang that night and it was memorable to say the least.

Perhaps the greatest singing-actor ever to grace the opera stage. His voice was not beautiful - at least not by conventional standards - but my god the man was riveting to watch and to listen to. I first saw him at the MET in 1978 at Otello. His smoldering intensity and total immersion into the role was electrifying and, at times, even frightening. An iconic tenor to be sure. - tonytenor

His vocal technique and his total connection to the characters he played made him one of the best opera singers of all time.

One of the greatest dramatic tenors. Great Siegmund and Othello.

The best tenor solos in Handels Messiah I've ever heard.

39Stuart Burrows

40Tim McGrawSamuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He has been married to singer Faith Hill since 1996, and is the son of the late baseball player Tug McGraw. McGraw has released fourteen studio albums.

41Richard Tauber

I listened to him as a child with my father, he had a wonderfully rich voice, could sing in his native German and English also. Could make you laugh or cry so rich was his voice, and meaningful the interpretation. Pity he is not higher on the list, listen to 'You Are My Hearts' Desire' (in English or German) and be impressed. J.

Listened to Richard as a child and teenager. My heart and I always bought tears and still does.

When composers wrote music with one man's voice in mind, you kind have made it big!

I absolutely agree with comments.My favourite was The Bluebird of Happiness.Searching for a connection either accurate words to song other than my memory, or some hope for the actual song. Richard Tauber is the only one ever, who could sing that song.

42John DenverHenry John Deutschendorf, Jr., known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, actor, activist and humanitarian, whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singer, starting in the 1970s.

He in my opinion had a great voice that go way up the octaves

Incredible voice! Incredible talent!

43Lauritz Melchior

The absolutely finest Hildentenor of all time. No one could hold a candle to him.

44Meat LoafMichael Lee Aday is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor usually known by his stage name Meat Loaf.

The best true Rock and Roll tenor of all time. If he had trained for opera, he'd have been as great as Pavarotti. In "Bat Out of Hell" he routinely knocked out eight high C's. - Section8Maven

45Carlos Marin

He is the greatest and sweetest man ever. We love him and he loves us like we are his children love you carlos.He is an amazing artist if somebody asked me who is the most careing man in the world I would say CARLOS MARIN 1MILLION PERCENT.

He have such a great voice and is always kind to his fans such a sweet man

This young man is amazing, facing unbelievable challenges in his childhood. Don't think a lot of us have strength and courage like him. Not only survived in his daily life, but also achieved more than regular people. He had never given up and had special talent with a little help later. He was not only inspirational for us, but he also gave a very touchy feelings to us. How about if he had resources and facility like others? It is a nice if we can do a fund raising for " Choi Education Program" in the area where he is interested in (heard like language and music teaching may be). Bet he will be a good teacher and give back to people in need. Wish someone with a lot of knowledge and access can direct him. Hope he can have a grant for a low cost to study in US.

This young man's voice is an instrument down in him that projects with power but warmth at the same time. His voice may not be to the level of some of the tested greats, but is different enough that it stands on its own as a magic to the listener's ear. He has a good stage and is a great entertainer.

An amazingly warm and vibrant voice! All of the emotion he has carried from living such a repressive life comes through in his voice. Why has an American music producer not jumped all over this young man? His voice, his heart, his story are all so compelling that any album produced by him would be a runaway best seller. We need to hear more of this amazing talent!

Fascinating voice. Truly inspirational and worth listening to his music.

The greatest of this generation, bar none. No one holds a candle to this man. He learns from the greats of the past, he exceeds the expectations and thoughts of people of today. He is indeed, phenomenal and will surely be one of the greatest of all time.

Truly a phenomenal young man. His voice is absolutely beautiful, his acting is superb! He is also quite handsome. A great package indeed! Cannot wait to see where this young man ends up next! In boca al lupo!

Coraggio.

Josh is great! Such a wonderful spirit with so much talent! He is a wonderful singer, a wonderful actor and a wonderful human being! Such a joy to have been able to work with him! - leighannelizabeth

One of the greatest upcoming tenors of the century! - leighannelizabeth